


Mother Knows Best (Widojest Week 2020)

by VHCrowfeather



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ballroom Dancing, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25117381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VHCrowfeather/pseuds/VHCrowfeather
Summary: Marion Lavorre had her chance at love taken from her, so when she recognizes the feeling a certain redheaded wizard has for her daughter, she does not hesitate to step in to ensure that Jester is not hurt in the same way that she was.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast, Marion Lavorre | Ruby of the Sea & Caleb Widogast
Comments: 10
Kudos: 61
Collections: Widojest Week 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Widojest week! this is my first multi chapter story, hope you enjoy, feedback is always welcome  
> today's propt is Marion Lavorre

Marion Lavorre was an insightful woman, especially as a large part of her trade was knowing what her clients needed without them having to say it. This was how she knew, from the moment he opened his mouth, that Caleb Widogast was completely enamored with her daughter. This had worried her at first, since the man seemed so broken that she worried that he would use her daughter to put himself back together again and then leave her by the wayside, as broken of a mess as he had been when they first met.

The more they visited however, her concerns diminished, Mr. Widogast’s love for her daughter seemed to rival her own, and he was clearly healing. Every time they visited there seemed to be a new piece put back in place in the shattered image of the man he might have once been.

The sorrowful look of longing mixed with sadness in his eyes whenever he looked at Jester was so familiar that Marion felt her heart break a little every time she caught him looking her way. Jester, for her part, was at the same time more and less subtle with her growing affections towards the wizard. One could be forgiven for missing how her enthusiasm for the rest of her friends was slightly different from the one she reserved for him, Marion might not even have realized how much focus there had been on “Cayleb” and Frumpkin in Jester’s stories of her adventures the last couple of times they had spoken. 

However, it was impossible to miss how she lit up whenever he addressed her. The months out in the world had changed Jester, her smile was not as bright anymore and there was a sadness behind her joy that convinced Marion that her daughter was keeping the worst of her experiences from her. But all of that disappeared when she spoke to Cayleb. With him, the act she put up for everyone else was replaced with pure genuine joy, and she radiated such a brightness that Marion could not remember the last time she’d seen it in her little Sapphire. 

Now, Marion was not sure if either of them realized the reality of the situation, but what she did realize was that they both seemed determined to not explore their own feelings or what that might entail, and Marion would not have it. She had seen the love that shone through Caleb's eyes once before, in the eyes of a sailor with wet, blue skin and rings on his fingers. She had had her chance at such a love taken away, and she was not gonna let that happen to Jester. So Marion Lavorre did what any loving mother would do. She decided to meddle.

\--------

It was a few weeks later that Jester sent her a message. They had finished up whatever they were doing and would be taking a vacation in Nicodranas for three weeks while they waited for one of their contacts to finish some preparations. While somewhat worried about the vagueness, she was ecstatic that they'd be spending so much time at the Chateau. Three weeks was longer than they had ever stayed in Nicodranas before and it gave Marion an ample amount of time to enact her master plan. She sent out a few letters to the right people, and eagerly awaited their arrival for the next step.

On the second day of the Mighty Nein’s stay at the Chateau, Marion found Caleb in one of the studies. He was reading from a large tome whilst occasionally pausing to write something on a scroll next to him and was the only one of the Nein present at the moment. Veth was spending time with her family and Jester had dragged the rest to the fish market, complaining that she was the only one who hadn't been there yet. Marion took a seat by the window and waited for him to detect her presence; when he finally did he jumped and his face turned so red it was closer to her own skin than his kinsmen in the empire.

“Ah Frau Lavorre,” he stammered “I did not hear you come in.”

Marion gave him her most reassuring smile, as she needed him to be calm for this conversation. “Oh it’s quite alright, I did not wish to disturb you. I was hoping that we could have a conversation, Herr Widogast.”

Caleb tilted his head confusedly, a mannerism not unlike the cats he loved so much.  
“Certainly, a conversation about what exactly?” he asked.

Marion caught his eyes and held them firmly. “About your feelings for my daughter. I would like to know what your intentions are with her considering what Jester has told me about your past relationships.” She was being both harsh and blunt, but if she gave him too much leeway, he would be able to dodge the question and slink away. She’d seen plenty of people in his position do just that. 

Caleb’s blush that had begun to recede flared up immediately, to the point that he might convince some that he was a resident of the fire plane. “Ah well, you need not worry, Frau Lavorre,” he said avoiding her eyes, “I am fully aware that I do not deserve her, and thus I have no plans on acting on my feelings, they are merely a distraction that is going to hurt me long before they get a chance to hurt her.” 

This was in Marion’s humble opinion, the wrong answer. “That does not actually relieve my concerns, Caleb,” she said gently, leaning forward and cupping his cheek. The dimple in his chin had been better described than she believed Jester realized. “See, I believe that not letting her make the choice herself is going to hurt her a lot more than anything you or those in your past can do to her.

Caleb’s eyes grew to the size of gold coins as he stared up at her, as she continued.  
“I do not know what the horrors are in your past that burden you so, but I know the look in your eyes whenever you look at Jester. I have only seen it once before, it was how her father once looked at me. Believe me when I say this: the pain of losing that, it is greater than anything rogue mages can inflict on one as powerful as my daughter.”

Her word seemed to have a minor impact on him, but the doubt was still strong within him, so she tried one last appeal. 

“I have many regrets in my life, and I can see that you do too, but the thing I regret the most is how long I kept Jester here. My love for her made me keep her hidden away from the world and only let her flee once it was no longer safe for her to stay. Seeing how happy she is with you and your friends makes me wish I would have let her see the world earlier, then maybe she would not have been so lonely.” As she spoke she felt tears start to seep from her eyes. “We both love her a great deal, herr WIdogast, and we are both inclined to hurt her slightly in order to protect her from a greater pain, but perhaps we should trust her to make that call herself?”

“Caleb rose from the floor, and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder, “If I may speak selfishly for a moment, had you let Jester go earlier, I would never have met her, so I am grateful for your selfishness. But I believe that Jester can make the right decision without me getting involved,” the light in his eyes had faded almost to the darkness she’d seen that first time they met. “There are others more deserving, and more capable of giving her all she deserves, yet I thank you for your kind words,” and with that he gathered his books and left her sitting by the window.

“That is where you are mistaken, Herr Widogast,” she said to herself.  
She had not expected him to come around in just one conversation, but now the seed was planted, he’d ask himself why she was so convinced he could make her daughter happy. 

Also, building on Jester’s stories about their group’s time in Hupperdook, she had just the idea of what to do in order to force a much needed conversation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is to be a party and the Nein are invited, how could this ever play into Marion's plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is from Jesters point of view, mostly because I liked the idea and also because I want marion to be somewhat more indirect in her manipulations of our love birds. Today's prompt: Dressed up

Jester Lavorre was in a great mood, they were staying with her mother for three weeks, the fish market had been just as good as Beau had said, and when they got back to the Chateau, her mother had told her that an old client of hers was throwing a party in honor of his wife whom he’d only been confident enough to pursue thanks to Marion's advice and reassuring words. Marion had been able to get invitations for the Mighty Nein as a thank you, and Jester was now in her room getting ready and putting on her new dress.

Most of the others had decided to reuse their old party outfits, but Jester had wanted to try something different, so here she was putting on a dress that her mother had gotten her as a gift just yesterday. It was in a warm amber colour with golden embroidery in a floral pattern climbing up from the hem, even the petticoats were gold tinted to heighten the flame like appearance.  
The dress was sleeveless but came with matching gloves, the skirt flared out around her ankles like it was made for twirling, and the backless bodice hugged her body tight yet ended just above her collarbone highlighting her figure and allowed her tattoo to glimmer in the candlelight. 

Jester smiled at herself in the mirror, the dress was beautiful, the colour reminded her of a warm sunset, of cozy campfires, of… of something else that she could not quite place. but she did not have time to think about that now as she could hear her friends talking downstairs, waiting for her. she opened the door and ran down to them, everyone but Caleb was already there and she had to stifle a laugh as their expressions all changed as they looked up to see her.

“Damn, Jess!” said Fjord, “That dress is really.. something.”

“Yea!” Beau agreed “it really shows of your.. everything.” 

Jester giggled, “I know, right?” she said as she twirled in place Mamma gave it to me just for this party, Said she wanted me to be the literal highlight of the evening.”

Veth’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Oh,” she said “so you and Caleb didn’t…” she trailed of looking a little sheepish.

Jester stopped her twirling to look at Veth, confused by her comment. “What? me and Caleb didn’t what?” she asked the halfling

Veth blushed and her eyes suddenly shot up to something behind Jester. “you know.. Coordinate?”

“No we didn’t. Why? Isn’t he wearing his old suit? What are you looking at” Jester asked curiously as everyone had turned their gaze to something behind her and as she turned around to see what they were looking at, she let out a gasp of surprise because whatever she had expected it was not that.

On the landing above them stood Caleb, but he looked much different than he usually carried himself. He was dressed in a dark amber frock coat, with golden embroideries in a swirling pattern, he wore matching trousers and waistcoat but his shirt was a sapphire blue that managed to bring out his eyes without overpowering the ensemble. the outfit highlighted his figure better than any outfit he’s previously worn had ever managed and you could clearly tell how good reliable access to food and sleep had been for him as he was far from the scrawny hobo she’d met in Trostenwald.  
His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and he had shaved so that his sharp features and dimpled chin were on full display. He was absolutely gorgeous

“Holy shit, Caleb!” Beau yelled after a few seconds were everyone was to in awe to speak. “Where did all of this come from?. If I was into men I’d might even have found you attractive!”

“Yea, same” Yasha said in agreement.  
“He is certainly very dashing” Caduseus nodded.

Caleb awkwardly rubbed his neck. as he did, Jester noticed how diamond cuff links caught the candlelight in a fashion very familiar to her tattoo.  
“Well, Ah, um” he stumbled, common failing him as it sometimes did when he got flustered. “Nugget came into my room just as I was about to change and got ahold of my clothes, Marion.. eh, Frau Lavorre had these clothes lying around after some old client so she summoned a tailor to refit the for me” he blushed as he walked down to meet them.

Standing next to him made it even more clear how much their outfits matched, and Jester felt a blush rising as the group looked between them.  
“Anyway” Fjord said awkwardly. “Shall we be on our way?”  
“Yes lets go!” Veth yelled, seemingly very anxious to get out of the awkward atmosphere.  
Caleb and Jester both lingered as the others filed out into the evening, still confused about the situation.  
“Don’t worry, Caduceus said as he followed the rest “ I think you make a very dashing pair”  
as they followed their friends, Jester had a sudden realization about what her dress had reminded her of. It was a perfect imitation of Caleb's hair.  
“Oh Traveler, What is going on?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know, how dare I leave it on a cliff hanger but trust me the party will be worth it, especially when youy see how I incorporate tomorrows prompt


End file.
